[HOWAY] GOVERNOR MUSGRAVE AND CONFEDERATION 17 



and that, as most people are convinced that Confederation is the 

 destiny of the Colony, so most people are prepared to enter into the 

 Dominion on terms fair and reasonable. Such being the general 

 conviction and desire, what is to be gained by continuing longer to 

 put off the work of considering the terms? Every month that passes 

 brings us just so much nearer the possibility of being handed over 

 upon terms arranged for us, not by us." ^ 



Members of the Dominion Government were in constant com- 

 munication with the supporters of Confederation, who took every 

 opportunity of circulating statements of that Government's supposed 

 views upon the subject. To quote one instance: "As a leading 

 Cabinet Minister recently said in a letter to a correspondent in this 

 Colony, 'Canada expects to lose money for some years by the ad- 

 mission of British Columbia and is prepared to deal liberally with 

 her.'" ^ Musgrave soon found that this ill-advised course was only 

 increasing his difficulties. In a despatch to the Colonial Office, dated 

 30th October, 1869, he refers to the seeming disrespect to the Legis- 

 lative Council in his publication of the Secretary of State's letter of 

 14th August, 1869, before presenting it to that body, but justifies his 

 conduct by saying that he has "reason to believe that the substance 

 of that despatch has already been communicated to unofficial persons 

 here by others in Canada to whom it had become officially known." 

 He goes on to say: "There is some little irritation at the manner 

 in which, it is supposed, persons in official authority in Canada 

 endeavour to work in favour of the project through private corre- 

 spondence with individuals here who have no official status and little 

 social influence." " 



After two months' study of the position in the Colony the Governor 

 felt himself able to report on the state of public opinion on the 

 question. He found it entangled with other matters, as, for instance, 

 Responsible Government and a Free Port at Victoria. The Canadian- 

 born residents were the mainstay of the movement; with them were 

 associated many persons who wished, not so much the advent of 

 union with Canada, as to obtain one or other of these objects; to 

 them were added others who saw in the proposed change an improve- 

 ment of their position by the relief it would afford from the grievous 

 financial burden that the Colony was carrying. The large element 

 of alien population favoured annexation to the United States. The 

 immigrants from Great Britain were somewhat apathetic. The 

 officials were opposed to the change, but he soon discovered that 

 their attitude was based, as their opponents declared, on their fear 

 for the safety of their positions under the new regime and hence if 



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